The emergence of social networks, OpenCourseWare, Massive Open Online Courses, informal remote learning and connectivist approaches to learning has made the analysis and evaluation of Digital Learning Environments more complex. Modeling these complex systems makes it possible to transcribe the phenomena observed and facilitates the study of these processes with the aid of specific tools. Once this essential step is taken, it then becomes possible to develop plausible scenarios from the observation of emerging phenomena and dominant trends. This book highlights the contribution of complex systems theory in the study of next generation Digital Learning Environments. It describes a realistic approach and proposes a range of effective management tools to achieve it.

The emergence of social networks, OpenCourseWare, Massive Open Online Courses, informal remote learning and connectivist approaches to learning has made the analysis and evaluation of Digital Learning Environments more complex. Modeling these complex systems makes it possible to transcribe the phenomena observed and facilitates the study of these processes with the aid of specific tools. Once this essential step is taken, it then becomes possible to develop plausible scenarios from the observation of emerging phenomena and dominant trends. This book highlights the contribution of complex systems theory in the study of next generation Digital Learning Environments. It describes a realistic approach and proposes a range of effective management tools to achieve it.

This book discusses the development of the next generation learning spaces with emerging technologies. These spaces result from the combined needs of classroom stakeholders, such as instructors and learners, with classroom elements, such as tools and technologies, pedagogy and content. The book presents discussions and studies on issues, possibilities and implications of these changes for next generation education. Novel ideas, and studies on these all-encompassing, blended roles of technologies in next generation learning spaces are clearly presented. Suggestions on how the benefits they offer can be maximized are also discussed. Engaging learning technologies have remained central in education for assisting instructors to teach and learners to learn, more effectively. However, recent technological growth is creating a system in which previous divides between key classroom concepts and stakeholders are getting progressively blurred. This is giving rise to next generation learning spaces where elements and stakeholders are blended into one. The book addresses the future of learning environments based on these perspectives.

The world of education is being radically altered with the change being driven by technology, openness, and unprecedented access to knowledge. Older correspondence-style methods of instructional delivery are passé and “classroom adapted to the web” approaches to learning are often ineffective and do little to harness the transformational potential of technology. E-Learning scenarios, mobile technologies, communication and information access, and personal learning environments are becoming mainstream and, as a result, control of the learning process is shifting away from institutions and into the hands of learners. This volumes promotes a forward-thinking agenda for research and scholarship that highlights new ideas, deep insights, and novel approaches to “unconstrained” learning.

At a time when ICTs are proliferating various facets of society and human interactivity, optimizing the use of these tools and technologies not only enhances learning but also transforms learning experiences all together, resulting in an increase of effectiveness and quality of education around the globe. As such, teachers are being challenged to implement a wide range of tools, such as mobile learning and augmented reality, to create smarter learning environments inside and outside of the classroom. Cases on Smart Learning Environments explores the potential of SLE tools for enhanced learning outcomes as experienced by educators, learners, and administrators from various learning institutions around the world. This publication presents cases on the real-world implementation of SLEs in 11 countries that span the continents of Asia, Africa, Europe, and North and South America. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as learner engagement, teacher training, and intelligent agent technology, this book is ideally designed for academicians, instructors, instructional designers, librarians, educational stakeholders, and curriculum developers.

In the last decade there have been rapid developments in the field of computer-based learning environments. A whole new generation of computer-based learning environments has appeared, requiring new approaches to design and development. One main feature of current systems is that they distinguish different knowledge bases that are assumed to be necessary to support learning processes. Current computer-based learning environments often require explicit representations of large bodies of knowledge, including knowledge of instruction. This book focuses on instructional models as explicit, potentially implementable representations of knowledge concerning one or more aspects of instruction. The book has three parts, relating to different aspects of the knowledge that should be made explicit in instructional models: knowledge of instructional planning, knowledge of instructional strategies, and knowledge of instructional control. The book is based on a NATO Advanced Research Workshop held at the University of Twente, The Netherlands in July 1991.

The brick and mortar classroom environment is the current foundation for learning approaches. However, these environments suffer from two major challenges that make it difficult to achieve individually customized learning for each student. I) the scalability challenge: i.e., the finite size of a classroom and II) the information variability challenge: the variability in the audio and visual content, depending on where a student is seated in a classroom. For these environments, potential solutions exist such as limiting the number of students enrolled in each class, increasing the number of instructors or teaching assistants for each course, or investing in infrastructure or technologies that expand the current capabilities of the physical classroom space. The fundamental research question is how to achieve a consistent, optimized quality of information that is to the expectation of each individual?Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs), such as online classes or immersive simulations, allow for such a scalable learning system because they are based on computational constraints instead of physical constraints. However, these VLEs need to be further explored before they can fully meet the needs of an individualized, customizable learning environment. This work lays the foundation towards addressing this research question by creating a VLE scaled for multiple users in an immersive simulation and demonstrating its benefits, compared to brick and mortar learning. To create that customizable learning at an individual's personal expertise level, a data-driven methodology is proposed to close the communication gap between a source (i.e., instructor) and a receiver (i.e., student). This work focuses on sensory data emitted by the source and acknowledged by the receiver in addition to sentiment data emitted by the receiver and acknowledged by the source. With statistical analysis, conclusions can be made for each user on these various metrics of the environment to help construct the optimal virtual learning environment for that user.

The traditional educational landscape often struggles to keep pace with the rapid advancements in technology and the evolving needs of both students and educators. This challenge has given rise to a crucial question; how can we effectively harness the full potential of next-generation educational technologies to shape a brighter future for education? A solution to this very question can be found within the pages ofReshaping Learning with Next Generation Educational Technologies. This book delves deep into the convergence of artificial intelligence (AI), disruptive technologies, and cutting-edge educational practices, revealing their transformative power. Through practical examples, visionary insights, and thought-provoking analyses, it provides a roadmap for educators, researchers, and professionals to navigate this changing educational landscape. It's a call to action, urging academia to seize the transformative potential of these groundbreaking technologies.

The implementation of the Common Core State Standards program has spearheaded many changes within the education field. As this initiative is ultimately designed to optimize student performance and success, it is critical that teacher education programs and technological tools being utilized in classrooms align with Common Core State Standards. Advancing Next-Generation Elementary Teacher Education through Digital Tools and Applications examines the impact of Common Core State Standards on teaching and learning within elementary classrooms. Focusing on the influence that Common Core has on teacher education programs and how the implementation of educational technologies is continuously changing the field, this book is ideally suited for teacher educators, researchers, administrators, classroom teachers, policy makers, and technology support personnel.

El espacio, ya sea físico o virtual, puede tener un impacto significativo en el aprendizaje. Learning Spaces se centra en la forma en que las expectativas de los alumnos influyen en dichos espacios, en los principios y actividades que facilitan el aprendizaje y en el papel de la tecnología desde la perspectiva de quienes crean los entornos de aprendizaje: profesores, tecnólogos del aprendizaje, bibliotecarios y administradores. La tecnología de la información ha aportado capacidades únicas a los espacios de aprendizaje, ya sea estimulando una mayor interacción mediante el uso de herramientas de colaboración, videoconferencias con expertos internacionales o abriendo mundos virtuales para la exploración. Este libro representa una exploración continua a medida que unimos el espacio, la tecnología y la pedagogía para asegurar el éxito de los estudiantes.